What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a modern, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that helps people live richer, more meaningful lives. Instead of trying to eliminate difficult thoughts or feelings, ACT teaches people to relate to them differently, so they have less power to dictate behavior.

At its core, ACT is about psychological flexibility: the ability to stay present, open up to experience, and take action guided by personal values, even when life feels uncomfortable or uncertain. ACT combines mindfulness skills with behavior-change strategies to help people move toward what truly matters to them.

ACT isn’t about “positive thinking” or ignoring pain. It’s about learning to make room for it, to stop fighting what can’t be controlled, and to build a life driven by purpose rather than fear or avoidance.

A Brief History of ACT

ACT emerged in the 1980s and 1990s from the work of psychologist Steven C. Hayes and colleagues at the University of Nevada. It grew out of a branch of behavioral science called Relational Frame Theory (RFT), a psychological model that explores how language and thought influence behavior.

While early behavior therapy focused mainly on changing what people do, and cognitive therapy focused on changing what people think, ACT took a different route. It emphasized changing the relationship people have with their thoughts and emotions. That shift (acceptance over control, values over avoidance) proved powerful across a wide range of issues, from anxiety and depression to trauma, chronic pain, and workplace stress.

Today, ACT is recognized internationally as part of the “third wave” of cognitive-behavioral therapies. It’s used in clinics, hospitals, schools, and businesses around the world, helping people cultivate resilience and live with authenticity, even when life gets messy.